Can-feeding device.



W. L. WIGHT.

GAN PEEDING DEVICE. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 2s, 1909.

Y 945,658. Patented Jan. 4, 1910.`

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W. L. WIGHT. GAN FEEDING DEVICE. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 2e, 1909.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

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GAN FEEDIN G DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 26, 1909.

Y Patented Jan.4, 1910.

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1filial IIE@ STATE@ ramena ernten WILLIAM I.. WIGHT, OF RICHMOND,VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO SOUTHERN 'MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, 0F RICHMOND,VIRGINIA, A. CORPORATION 0F VIRGINIA.

CAN-FEEDING DEVICE.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM L. WIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Can-Feeding Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to improvements in machines for feeding cans tocan filling or y can iilling and weighing machines, and has for itsobject to provide a novel mechanism by which the cans are fed onto theconveyer belt of such machines, the cans resting on their bottoms on theconveyer belt, open ends upward to receive the material to be lledthereinto.

The invention consists in the apparatus hereinafter described andillustrated, and then pointed out in the claims appended to thedescription.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is anelevation of the can feeding mechanism showing a battery or plurality offeeding magazines adapted to feed a row of cans onto the conveyer beltof the can filling or can filling and weighing machine. Fig. 2 is an endor edge elevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. et is a section takenon a line of Fig. 1, just above the magazine valves. Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail of the valve or escapement mechanism for releasing thecans one at a time from the can magazines. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail.

In the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates theconveyer-belt of a can filling or can filling and weighing machine, bywhich cans are conveyed to the filling or filling and weighingmechanism.

The invention is not concerned with the type of lling or filling andweighing machine, and such mechanism is not illustrated,

but only a suitable can conveyer belt forsuch a machine, onto which thecans are to be fed by the apparatus of my invention.

Located above the conveyer belt 1, and preferably on a ioor of thebuilding above that on which the conveyer belt is located, is a trough2, shown in plan view in Fig. 3 of the drawing and in elevation inFig. 1. Preferably, this trough comprises a table 3 having a rear wallor abutment 4 and open front 5 to facilitate the deposit of the cansthereon manually, the wall 4 serving as a Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed .Tune 26, 1909.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

Serial No. 504,510.

gage or abutment. It is designed that the cans shall be disposed on thistable of the trough with the open ends of the cans pointing in the samedirection. Adjacent the table 3 the trough is dished, as shown at 6 inFig. 1, to provide a compartment 7 into which the cans may be easilymoved from the table 3 by the operator.

In open communication with the trough is a gravity can-magazine 8. Ihave shown a battery of magazines arranged in alinement to feed a row ofcans to the belt 1 transversely of the latter, and connected at theirupper ends by flanges 9, 10, between which the trough 2 is arranged.

Vvlithin the scope of my invention there may be one, or a battery orplurality of magazines of any desired number.

In describing the invention I will refer to but one magazine, as theothers are duplicates.

In operation the cans pass from the compartment 7 of the trough into themagazine, the operator agitating or manipulating the cans to constantlysupply a column of cans thereto, as shown with respect to the left handmagazine-channel in Fig. 1, the cans passing into the magazine andresting in column form in circumferential contact, as shown. Thecross-sectional diameter of the magazine is slightly greater than thediameter of the cans, so that the latter may by gravity passtherethrough freely.

At the lower end of the magazine is arranged a duplex valve or gatemechanism adapted to release the cans one at a time therefrom. IVhen amagazine consisting of a battery or plurality of channels isemwith suchbattery or plurality of magazine channels is utilized, and I desire itto be understood that, within the scope of the invention, the valvemechanism will be appropriate to the number of magazine channelsemployed in the equipment of the apparatus, whether one, two or more.This duplex valve or gate mechanism comprises valves 11 which separateor select the bottom can or cans in the magazine so that they may bereleased and discharged therefrom, and a valve 12 to release suchselected bottom can or cans and permit the same to discharge by gravity.

The specific example of valve or gate i mechanism shown, comprisesslides 13, 14

l arranged in dierent planes, as clearly shown ployed, a valve mechanismcommensurate` in Figs. l, 2 and 5, said slides being con- I nectedtogether' to move in unison by means of a strap l5, and connected tesaid slides by arms 1G are the valves l1 and 1Q, so alternately arrangedthat when the valve l2 is i tracks being clearly shown in Figs. Q andt3.

of the drawing.

it is designed that the valve mechanism shall operate periodicallyr intimed relation to the movement of the conveyer of the can filling or canfilling and weighing machine, and to this end such valve mechanism isdesigned to be actuated by some moving part of the can filling or canfilling and weighing machine. For example, the valve mechanism may bereciprocated in one direction by means of a cam of the filling orweighing machine, and in opposite direction by means of a spring 19.

Leading from the lower end of each magazine to a vertically dependingbox 2l, the lower open end of which is above the conveyer belt l andpreferably traversed thereby, is an inclined chute into which the canspass when released, one by one, from the magazine by the valve mechanismdescribed, and along which they slide closed or bottom end foremost,which position is assumed by reason of the disposition of the cans inthe magazine, their closed ends pointing in the same, forward,direction. These closed ends are also of greater weight than the openends of the cans. At the end of the inclined chute the cans pass intothe vertically depending box 2l with their bottoms down and come to reston the conveyer l, open ends up ready to be filled.

To prevent the cans from toppling over when they meet the conveyer beltand permittheir being advanced by the conveyer belt to the can fillingor can filling' and weighing mechanism, open-ends up, the box isprovided with swinging doors Q2 maintained closed by means of a veryweak spring 23.

The conveyer belt is provided at suitable intervals with can engagingmeans, such as cleats 24, which engage the cans and, as the conveyerbelt travels cause the cans to open the doors and pass from the box 21and be conveyed to the place of filling or filling and weighing.

eaaess In the foregoing description l have specifically referred to cansfor convenience, but

I desire it to be understood as including within that term other vesselswhich it may be desired conveyed, open end up, to filling or filling andweighing mechanism or the like. y I-laving thus described the invention.what I claim is,-

l. The combination with a conveyer of a can feeding machine or the like,of apparatus for feeding cans thereto comprisinf a n'iagazine designedto receive the cans in circumferential contact, an inclined chuteleading from the lower end of said Lmagazine and along which the cansslide bottom ends foremost, a vertical open bottom chamber at the lowerend of and communicating with said chute and located above the conveyerbelt, and valve mechanism for releasing cans one by one to pass from themagazine to the inclined chute..

2. The combination with a conveyer of a can filling machine or the like,of apparatus for feeding' cans thereto comprising a magazine arrangedabove the same, an inclined can chute leading from said magazine to saidconveyer, a vertical chamber communicating with said inclined chute andhaving an open bottom traversed by said conv Ayer and valve mechanismfor releasing the cans one by one to pass from the can magazine to saidchute.

3. The combination with a conveyer of a can filling machine or the like,of apparatus for feeding cans thereto comprising a magazine arrangedabove the same, an inclined can chute leading from said magazine to saidconveyer, a vertical chamber communicating with said inclined chute andhaving an open bottom traversed by said conveyer, said vertical chamberbeing provided with doors permitting the egress of the cans from saidchamber.

i. The combination with a conveyer of a can filling machine or the like,of apparatus for feeding cans thereto comprising a magazine arrangedabove the same, an inclined chute leading from said magazine to saidconveyer, a vertical chamber communicating with said inclined chute andhaving an open bottom traversed by said conveyer, and a duplex valvemechanism for releasing cans one at a time from the can magazine intosaid chute.

5. The combination with a conveyer of a can filling machine or the like,of apparatus for feeding cans thereto comprising a magazine arrangedabove the same, an inclined can chute leading from said magazine to saidconveyer, a vertical chamber communicating with said inclined chute andhaving an open bottom traversed by said conveyer, said vertical chamberbeing provided wit-h spring doors permitting the egress of the cans fromsaid chamber.

ilo

6. The combination with a conveyer of a can lling machine or the like,of apparatus for feeding cans thereto comprising a magazine arrangedabove the same, an inclined can chute leading` from said magazine tosaid conveyer, a vertical chamber communicating with said inclined chuteand having an open bottom traversed by said conveyer, and duplex valvemechanism for releasing the cans one by one to pass from the canmagazine into the said chute.

7. The combination with a conveyer of a can iilling machine or the like,a can trough located above said conveyer, a gravity can magazinecommunicating with said trough, an inclined can chute leading from saidmagazine and terminating in a chamber traversed by the conveyer beltinto which chamber cans are deposited bottom down by said chute, doorsfor said chamber, and means on the conveyer belt to engage the cans andcause the latter in the movement of the conveyer belt to open said doorsand pass from said chamber.

S. The combination with a conveyer belt of a can filling machine or thelike, the combination with a trough, a plurality of gravity canmagazines communicating with said trough, a plurality of inclined chutesleading from the lower ends of said magazines and terminating inchambers traversed by said conveyer belt, means for releasing cans oneat a time from said magazines to said chutes, doors for said chambers,and means carried by the conveyer belt for causing the cans to open saiddoors to pass from said chambers.

9. The combination with a gravity can magazine, of an inclined chuteleading from the lower end thereof, a depending, vertical, open bottomchamber at the lower end of said chute, and valve mechanism forreleasing cans one by one to pass from the can magazine to said chute.

l0. The combination with a gravity can magazine, of an inclined chuteleading from the lower end thereof, a depending, vertical, open bottomchamber at the lower end of said chute provided with a door to permitthe passage of cans therefrom, and valve mechanism for releasing thecans one by one to pass from the can magazine to said chute.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM L. WIGI-IT.

